Jamie Beckett is a CFI and A&P mechanic who stepped into the political arena in an effort to promote and protect GA at his local airport.

Years ago when I was flying as an instructor out of Meriden Markham Airport in central Connecticut, I attended a meeting held in the city hall building in East Hartford, Connecticut. The concern on the agenda that evening was that then-Governor Lowell Weicker would purchase or lease access to the state’s second largest airport to act as a reliever to Bradley International in Windsor Locks.

The group that sprouted up to fight this action named itself RADAR, Residents Against Dangerous Airport Relocation. I have to admit I never entirely understood how using an airport that had been in regular use for more than 70 years constituted “relocation,” but the opposition was out in force that night, and I learned a lot about how the non-aviation public views those of us on the other side of the airport fence. In short, they are not enamored of us. [Read more…]